Faculty Senate approves streamlining procedures

STANFORD -- The Faculty Senate hopes to streamline the way it conducts
business with a two-year experiment that will allow its Steering Committee to
consider some routine, non- controversial agenda items at special
administrative sessions.

The Steering Committee will have the option of scheduling one or more
special meetings each quarter in lieu of, or in addition to, a Thursday
afternoon senate meeting to take up a variety of matters, including:

Amending degree lists or dealing with irregularities connected with the
granting or withdrawal of degrees.

Considering program reviews if no changes are recommended.

Accepting annual reports of Academic Council committees that recommend
no action, as long as a committee reported to the full senate the previous
year.

Changing the Rules of the Senate to reflect changes in practice.

Changing charges to committees of the Academic Council and other bodies
reporting to the senate.

Agenda and relevant documents will be distributed to the full senate
before an administrative session, and elected and ex officio members of the
senate will be allowed to attend but not vote.

If five senate members request, any item scheduled for the administrative
session will be placed instead on the agenda of a regular senate meeting.
Also, at the next regular senate meeting, five elected senators may appeal a
vote taken by the Steering Committee in administrative session.

Four members of the seven-member Steering Committee will constitute a
quorum.

English Professor John Bender presented the proposal, saying that senate
meetings are so consumed with reports and relatively minor actions that time
is not sufficient for full discussion of important academic issues.

The plan was developed last year by the Steering Committee and the
Committee on Committees, which Bender then headed. This year he serves as
vice chair of the Steering Committee. Originally scheduled for consideration
last June 2, the streamlining proposal was delayed because of the press of
other senate business.

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